Abstract

This study examined the relationship between identification and perceived prestige at the department level. By shifting the focus of the image from the organization itself to that of the departments within it and focusing on identification with the department, this study distinguished three different perception foci: department colleagues, organization members outside the department, and other peers who were not part of the organization. The study was carried out at Concordia University using professors as the research population. To study the identification process, sustainability research served as a behavioral indicator of identity. Research professors were sampled from six separate departments with varying levels of interest in sustainability research to ensure that each department had a distinct identity. The research professors were asked what they thought others believed was the emphasis of sustainability research in their department. These “others” were placed into the three different groups to calculate the perceived prestige coming from each group. The three perceptions were then tested for correlations with the Departmental Identification. Results supported the hypothesis that a positive correlation existed between each of the prestige perceptions and Departmental Identification. However, the hypothesis that the correlations between perceived prestige and Departmental Identification would become stronger as social proximity increased was not supported.